Dollar Tree launches new community impact fund to celebrate 40th anniversary
Dollar Tree is celebrating 40 years in business with a new community investment project and a milestone store opening.
In honor of its 40th anniversary, the discount retailer is committing $40 million through the new Dollar Tree Impact Fund of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation to support nonprofit organizations and community-led projects that “address local needs and help neighborhoods thrive.”
The Dollar Tree Impact Fund will focus on improving “access to essentials” by increasing access to food and other everyday necessities to help individuals and families meet their basic needs; "growing economic opportunity" by supporting career readiness and job skills training; and "helping communities thrive" by creating cleaner, safer, and more welcoming public spaces.
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To meet its goals, Dollar Tree says it will partner with its national nonprofit partners and more than 400 community impact projects across the country. It will also launch the Kindness Grant Program, an associate-directed program that empowers associates to help award grants to nonprofit organizations.
In addition to its new philanthropic efforts, Dollar Tree will soon open its 9,500th store in Suffolk, Va., just outside of the company’s headquarters in Chesapeake. The milestone comes as the retailer continues to grow its footprint, opening 75 new stores in its most recent quarter.
"Forty years ago, Dollar Tree started right here in Hampton Roads with a simple promise to deliver unbeatable value, convenience and thrill-of-the-hunt discovery. Today, 9,500 stores later, that promise is stronger than ever," said CEO Mike Creedon. "As we look to the future, we’re proud to build on our legacy with a $40 million investment in the people and places that have been part of our story, helping create more opportunities for our associates, our customers, and the communities we call home.”
Dollar Tree operates more than 9,500 stores and 19 distribution centers across 48 contiguous states and seven Canadian provinces under the brands Dollar Tree and Dollar Tree Canada. It employs more than 150,000 associates.
